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FMBX News
Posted: Aug 23, 2011
Howard's Way Walk heads for the Dales
The events industry’s most hardened hikers are ramping up their training for the fourth annual Howard’s Way Walk, which this year will cover an 85-mile stretch of The Dales Way, starting from Ilkley in the Yorkshire Dales National Park, and ending by the shores of Windermere, in the Lake District. It will take place over the weekend 30 September-2 October.
Inspired by freelance logistics manager Howard Kerr, who lost his life in 2008 to Pancreatic Cancer, the Howard’s Way Walk has attracted many of the most super-fit and some of the truly reckless members of the events industry to attempt a succession of physically gruelling fund-raising walks.
Howard’s brother-in-law Nick Grecian, managing director of events crewing firm Gallowglass, has planned the route, and will be accompanied by industry friends – many of whom joined Howard’s walk in previous years. Among this year’s participants are: event and PR entrepreneur, Simon Burton; Lee Farrant, Partner, RPM; Frank Wainwright, Fieldmarketing.com and Sam Wilson, Managing Director, Eco Events.
Laura Moody, managing director of Blondefish, said: “I loved the walk so much last year, I'm back again. When I say I loved it, I must add that walking 100 miles was the hardest thing I had ever done - harder than the 3 Peaks Challenge, giving birth to two children and breaking my collar bone all at once!”
Over the last three years the Howard’s Way Walk and related fundraising activities have raised in excess of £180,000, which has funded a PHD Studentship Award for a researcher at Barts Hospital’s Institute of Cancer.
Says Nick Grecian: “This is not simply a charity fund-raising initiative. Following Howard’s original diagnosis, we learned that 75% of pancreatic cancer sufferers die within six months of diagnosis and only three percent survive more than five years. Research into pancreatic cancer is woefully underfunded, and the events industry has now lost several valued friends and colleagues to this insidious killer.
Dr John Marshall, who leads the research team at the Institute of Cancer has also become personally interested with the Walk and will be one of its participants this year. He said: “I am really looking forward to joining everyone for the Dales Walk to raise money for Pancreatic Cancer Research Fund. I love walking but do not do enough so this will be a great treat for me although the distance is a little daunting!”
The walk will follow the River Wharfe past Bolton Abbey, along the Strid Ravine, climbing over open moorland to reach the highest point of the route at Cam Fell (518m). The standard duration of the route is eight days, but the Howard’s Way Walk will cover the whole 85 miles in just three.
Adds Grecian: “Once again Land Rover are generously providing support vehicles for the Walk, and we’re really hoping for additional sponsorship. We’ve put together a number of £300 packages, to cover necessities ranging from medical support to cake, via transport and physiotherapy. “
Full details about the Howard’s Way Walk can be found on www.howardswaywalk.co.uk. Sponsorship offers will be gratefully accepted by NickGrecian@Gallowglass.co.uk.
Donations: http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/HWW2011
